IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,525,430
Granted Patent B2
US 12,525,430 · App. 17/921,737 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Charged particle beam apparatus

Inventors: Kazufumi Yachi (Tokyo, JP); Muneyuki Fukuda (Tokyo, JP); Ichiro Tachibana (Tokyo, JP); Hiroya Ohta (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
H01J37/28H01J37/145H01J37/244H01J2237/057H01J2237/2806
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,525,430
App. No.
17/921,737
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus for the purpose of detecting a charged particle emitted from a sample in a specific direction by discriminating between the charged particle and a charged particle emitted in another direction. As one aspect of achieving the above purpose, proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus including an objective lens configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source, a detector ( 8 ) configured to detect at least one of a first charged particle ( 23 ) emitted from a sample by irradiating the sample with the beam and a second charged particle emitted from a charged particle collided member by causing the first charged particle to collide with the charged particle collision member disposed on a trajectory of the first charged particle, and an electrostatic lens ( 12 ) including a plurality of electrodes disposed between the objective lens and the detector, in which the electrostatic lens is a Butler type.

Claims (26)

1 . A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

an objective lens configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source;

a detector configured to detect at least one of a first charged particle and a second charged particle, in which the first charged particle is emitted from a sample by irradiating the sample with the beam, and in which the second charged particle is emitted from a charged particle collision member by causing the first charged particle to collide with the charged particle collision member disposed on a trajectory of the first charged particle; and

an electrostatic lens including a plurality of electrodes disposed between the objective lens and the detector,

wherein the electrostatic lens is a Butler lens.

2 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a particle beam passage opening forming member disposed between the electrostatic lens and the detector; and

one or more Wien filters disposed between the objective lens and the electrostatic lens,

wherein the one or more Wien filters deflect the first charged particle so that the first charged particle passes through a center of a particle beam passage opening of the particle beam passage opening forming member.

3 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more Wien filters deflect the first charged particle so that a secondary electron passes through the center of the particle beam passage opening, in which a trajectory of the secondary electron is changed by the electrostatic lens.

4 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more Wien filters disposed between the objective lens and the electrostatic lens; and

a particle beam passage opening forming member disposed between the detector and the electrostatic lens,

wherein the one or more Wien filters deflect the first charged particle so that the first charged particle passes through a lens center of the electrostatic lens.

5 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more Wien filters are configured to deflect the first charged particle so that a center trajectory of the first charged particle passes through the lens center of the electrostatic lens.

6 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a particle beam passage opening forming member disposed between the electrostatic lens and the detector;

one or more Wien filters disposed between the objective lens and the electrostatic lens; and

a deflector configured to change an arrival position at which the beam reaches the sample,

wherein the one or more Wien filters deflect the first charged particle so that the first charged particle passes through a center of a particle beam passage opening of the particle beam passage opening forming member regardless of a deflection condition of the deflector.

7 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is an annular detector including an opening through which the beam passes.

8 . A charged particle beam apparatus comprising:

an objective lens configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source;

a detector configured to detect at least one of a first charged particle and a second charged particle, in which the first charged particle is emitted from a sample by irradiating the sample with the beam, and in which the second charged particle is emitted from a charged particle collided by causing the first charged particle to collide with the charged particle collided member disposed on a trajectory of the first charged particle; and

an electrostatic lens including a plurality of electrodes disposed between the objective lens and the detector,

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is provided with a taper so that a thickness of the electrode becomes thinner in a direction of an optical axis of the beam as the electrode approaches the optical axis.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2025
From: YACHI, KAZUFUMI; FUKUDA, MUNEYUKI; TACHIBANA, ICHIRO; OHTA, HIROYA
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 073124/0694 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230170182A1 · Jun 1, 2023
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